Real PDF — Chrome Extension
One-sentence summary: Real PDF converts web pages into PDF files entirely on your own device — it does not send page content or generated PDFs anywhere, and does not collect personal data on any developer-owned server.
Real PDF is a Chrome extension that saves web pages (full page or a selection) as PDF files, using several rendering modes: a hybrid mode that preserves text and links, a pixel-perfect screenshot mode, Chromium's native print engine, or a built-in WASM renderer. All of this processing happens locally, inside your browser.
Real PDF has no backend server, and it does not transmit any data over the internet to the developer. Specifically, we do not collect, store, or share:
When you export a page to PDF, the extension reads the content of the current tab (DOM, images, styles) and builds the PDF file directly inside your browser — using Chromium's own print engine or a WASM engine that runs locally. The resulting file is then saved to your computer through Chrome's standard download dialog. No step in this process sends data outside your own device over a network.
A few advanced features (removing blank pages from a PDF, translating a page before export) require a separate companion application installed on your computer. The extension talks to this app using Native Messaging — a local IPC mechanism between the browser and an app installed on the same machine, not over the internet. If you don't install this companion app, those advanced features simply aren't available; core PDF export still works normally.
Your preferences (render mode, interface language, page margins, etc.) are stored using chrome.storage.sync — Chrome's standard settings-sync mechanism, tied to your own Google account so your settings follow you across your signed-in devices. The developer has no access to this data.
| Permission | Purpose |
|---|---|
| activeTab / scripting | Read the DOM content of the open tab so it can be converted into a PDF |
| host_permissions (http/https) | Allows the export feature to run on whichever website you choose, since it's not possible to know in advance which page you'll want to export |
| debugger | Uses Chromium's native print API (Page.printToPDF) and pixel-accurate capture for the "chrome" and "pixel" rendering modes |
| downloads | Saves the generated PDF file to your computer |
| offscreen | Runs the PDF rendering engine (WASM) in a hidden document, separate from the service worker |
| storage | Stores your extension settings |
| contextMenus | Adds a "Save as PDF" entry to the right-click menu |
| nativeMessaging | Communicates locally with the Real PDF Backend app installed on your computer (see section 4), not over a network |
We do not sell, share, or rent any user data to third parties — the extension simply does not collect data that could be shared.
If this policy changes (for example, when new features are added), the "Last updated" date at the top of this page will be revised. Please check back periodically.
If you have questions about this privacy policy, please contact: your-email@example.com